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From: ehburns2
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  • my favorite thing about Neil Young besides his songwriting and guitar work is his willingness to go from one end of the musical spectrum to the other and just make the music he wants to without caring what critics or the masses think....he is truly one of the most unique artists ever

  • Oh man....I hated this album when it came out..I thought "Neil, what are you doin??" - but these days, it beats the shit out of Ga-Ga and Bieber!!

  • VERY AWESOME

  • a great artist who's always eager to create and think outside the box. So cool!

  • just got a microkorg vocoder virtual analog cult favourite synth to do this cool tune ... great fun on winter days ...

  • One day I was listening to this Neil Young LP and my brother came in the room and asked what I was listening. When I said Neil Young's Trans (1982), he was amazed! Like many other people back in 1982 when this disconcerting but fascinating record was released!

  • @WaxHeadroom AMEN BROTHER!

  • I like all of Neil's work and that includes this forward look at today's POP muzak...

  • The worst of Neil Young

  • Whoa this is great

  • I AM A DOODLE MAN named GEORGE and I live in SeattLe Wa just call me KIM

  • I have this LP. My father bought it when I was a child and it's been passed on to me, along with many other Neil Young albums. You can't always measure a film or an album by it's allure to the masses. Sometimes, it's about creating a physical entity out of a thought or a grander idea. Making it real is where art comes in. Some will get it and like it. Some people won't get and won't like it. Surely there is enough Neil Young material out there to satisfy you, without pissing on his vision

  • It was recorded with his son in mind, nobody's forced to listen to anything, so if you don't like it, stop griping + play one of his you do, not that difficult is it?

    Saw the tour, Nils Lofgren, Bruce Palmer/ bass(B. Springfield) a brilliant night!

  • Nobody bought this, right? I don't even remember this!

  • One of the strangest albums he ever put out. I heard him (Neil, that is) say some where that he likes this album.I buy everything he does, so once in while I play it. There are couple of good ones on it ( I like computer age) but it's like WTF? He's made so many great albums, I won't even try to list my favorites. I'll keep this one next to Greendale.

  • @captquest1 If you like computer age rock get ELO's 1981 TIME album..... I mean digitally download the songs from TIME....... got to love the eighty's

  • I really like Neil Young, but I think I would side with Geffen when that lawsuit happened. This really sucks.

  • This isn't bad, not his best, but not terrible. The 80's were tough for a lot of people.

  • i love how neil young tries new shit. whether it succeeds or not

  • one of his best ever you idiots x

  • There's no easier way to get people to agree with you than to simply throw out another title, claiming it's better than this one. Just by chance people may agree, but it's pretty sad when the person covers both sides, wanting, 'to hear all sides and opinions,' (Really?) when they are actually baiting those who might favor this song over 11xzxzxz's choice. ("I can't wait?")

    Just another angry voice picked up by a gust of wind, and driven here by the hot air within the voice.

    Peace.

    Rock

  • WHAT THE FUCK...the Sennheiser Vocoder and NOT the Moog Vocoder?!?!

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  • I swear to Bob this sounds like Arcade Fire. I know, I know, lolwut? But I've been listening to The Suburbs and I just can't shake the impression.

  • What a great tune. Impossible to descibe

  • The whole album was basically one big fuck you to Geffen.

  • I love this album. Artists change and do weird and different things. That's what makes them artists and not just puppets for the label.

    Just because I love Young's more "regular" music doesn't mean I can't also like this.

  • Who could not love the song? It's amazing.

  • neil young can do whatever he wants. nobody is talking about any of you peoples music. certainly not neil. you talk about him, not the other way around. this is the shit.

  • Technothanks, what a great story!! Things like that just don't happen in "real" life. The first time I saw Neil in concert was in Miami in 1983- he was promoting Trans. What a super show. I've seen him three more times since- always a fantastic performance as his music changes he still delivers the solid favorites.

  • dramatic story or not. the song is fuckin trippy....and i cant help but like it

  • Back in 1989, i was walking into a movie theater on Van Ess Ave., San Francisco, with my family. The film was "HARLEM NIGHTS". Who should I bump into but NEIL YOUNG? He would have just kept walking, but I mentioned how much my son loved "TRANSFORMER MAN". His mouth dropped open, EYES LIT UP & misted over. He came back, said that he wrote "TRANS" for HIS son. I hummed TRANSFORMER MAN, my son followed up with diti-dit-dit... NEIL was SO HAPPY! He kneeled and shook my son's hand! We talked a bit.

  • @technothanks incredible man.

  • @technothanks Man, how cool is that?

  • wow he gives zapp and roger a run for their money on those high notes!!

  • The early 80s motivated so many singers to try new things. Neil did some of his best work with Trans.

  • Sadly during this same era bands like Skinny Puppy were making actual good music with synths but not too many people heard them compared to this.

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  • @Svperstarr this is a million times better than anything skinny puppy ever did lol. opinions of course .

  • this during neil's.I'M ONLY GONNA PRODUCE SHIT...stage

  • @emaclynch Actually the story is that he wrote this song for his autistic son who was into the transformer toys

  • @mrdesi7776 Neil Young wrote this album for his son who has cerebral palsy. " At the time he was simply trying to find a way to talk, to communicate with other people. That's what Trans is all about. And that's why, on that record, you know I'm saying something but you can't understand what it is. Well, that's exactly the same feeling I was getting from my son". - Neil Young.

  • @lostkeys78 Thanks for the clarification.

  • @lostkeys78 You reckon ? I reckon he made it to make money. Sorry to spoil your atruism. Musical taste is a very personal thing of course, but personally I think this is piss poor.

  • @cullyvan Yeah, Neil must have certainly thought that an album like Trans would make him tons of cash. Give your head a shake.

  • @lostkeys78 Then why did he release it ? He could have just played it to his son. Are you mental ?

  • @cullyvan Well its a good job you didnt buy it then !! Thats all you have to do hey - dont like it dont listen to it - simple

  • @frankyfasthands1 Buy it ? I'm not even going to download it for nothing. Unless the neighbors really piss me off. 

  • @cullyvan pmsl - I can think of a hell of a lot more 'music' to piss the neighbours off with !!!

  • @frankyfasthands1 :P peace sir

  • @mrdesi7776 Trans came out in 1982....transformers in 1984

  • OK Responce to Wax Head Room,, I am an OLD F----ing Hippie and I happen to LOVE this particular album,,, Trans is bt far the Best work in my oppinion that Neil Young has ever done,, Hell the man can't sing worth a crap,, And he sells some of the best music I ever heard,, So take it from an OLD Hippie,, Neil ROCKS,,

  • @ButterFlyMaiden54 me too man. love this album.

  • Only a MOTHERFUCKING HIPPIE hates a masterpiece like Trans.

    Trans is Young's best work. Period.

  • @WaxHeadroom U Fail kid. 1st most hippies I know weren't motherfuckers, they would gladly help or be peaceful to people as rude and ignorant as you and ur comment here (BTW ignorant isn't an insult as most young people take it 2 be) 2nd some of us old hippies could be a motherfucker when it was required. Relax man, if some hippie hates this like you claim to know (NOT) he's an asshole not a hippie.

  • @WaxHeadroom ur an idiot

  • @malcolm5wj Learn to spell Malcom.

  • @WaxHeadroom i have the LP.lighten up on the negative.

  • After listening to a lot of Neil Young's folk/country/rock material, I heard of Trans, an electronic new wave album by Neil, which was disliked by many. I gave it a listen just to see how bad it was, and it turns out its not bad at all. It's really awesome, dreamy electronic music.

  • i think it's time for neil to make a dubstep album

  • THIS IS SO FUCKING AWESOME

  • this is electro folk clash post rock! r&b! Boo yah!

  • Best thing this Yacht Rocker ever recorded.

  • People would like and respect this song more, if they realised that it's about Neil Youngs struggles to communicate with his second son Ben Young, who has cerebral palsy.

    "everytime I like I look in your eyes, I feel electrified by you, oh yeah."

  • This song is better live

  • If you can remove your mind from knowing Neil as a rock/folk guy and just listen to the album for what it is, you'll realize this is a pretty good album.

    No, it's not his rock work, and obviously inspired by Kraftwerk, but so what?

  • i think John McEnroe said it best: "you cannot be serious!!"

  • i am very big techno house electro fan but i prefer neil's rock stuff

  • so this is where auto tune came from haha

  • Saw the Trans tour @ Madison square Garden,NYC. I was 17!. His perfomance was brilliant that night.

  • The album by Young that I would have wanted him to never make.

  • this sound like Daft Punk many many years Before the band ever existed

  • @WarpxD you thought neil young was god bro ? they are just resampling old stuffs like 90% of the electronic bands of the 90s and 00s. Just like hiphop resampled funk and soul. Electronica and hiphpop are the most vulgar genres ever (i still listen to them as i'm not a narrow-minded cunt, but it's important to state the truth and go back to the classics).

  • @WarpxD omg i meant "you thought DAFT PUNK was god bro?" not neil young lol

  • This is so dated.

  • @toddhodgson you're so dated

  • I have the Unplugged album and hearing the studio version of this song next to him performing live just mind blowing.

  • I wish neil and nils would play this live this year, it would be so funny with the voice changers with them in their old age in all

  • Weird , but thats Neil Young for you, been creative once again

    .

  • God Trans is good fuckin' album, right?

  • THIS WAS MY 1ST CONCERT AY COBO ARENA IN DETROIT , VERY DIFFERENT , STILL VERY GOOD :-)

  • My name is Kyle Turner of Nova Scotia, Canada and I approve of this song.

    I also like boys.

  • i have to say, I never checked this album out, but now I'm enjoying it. a lot like kraftwerk

  • Funny how we're listening to Air these days and Neil had them trumped by 2 decades. Brilliant stuff!

  • PFFFTFTTTTTTTTTT HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA What the fuck is this exactlly

  • Geffen was such a jack ass for trying to sue neil over this album because it wasn't "commercial." It's all about the money.

    Great album, thanks for posting.

  • Amazing

    

  • my daddy used to sing this song to me at night. :) It made me laugh.

  • @iluvugaara That's cute

  • Hey! Wherever I go someone is always telling someone that they are an idiot for dissing a song or artist. Personally I what to hear all sides and all opinions. So I think this song was written in order to connect with his son and for that it's great. Otherwise I'd say it's just an OK song (sorry that I don't hate it as you can't tell me what an idiot I am) but maybe some hate emails will come.. I can't wait, I can't wait .. not as good as Sample and Hold.

  • @11xzxzxz I completely agree with you. People can have whatever opinions they want. Just because someone doesn't like them a song doesn't make them an asshole.

  • @emilygclarinet Thanks for the support and opinion. I like your clarinet-piano song by the way and it's not normally the type of music I like or listen to but that is a very good song. Congrats on your talent.

  • @11xzxzxz Aww, thanks so much :)

  • @11xzxzxz Did he write this to connect with his son? I thought he made these weird albums just to piss off the record company.

  • @thestalkingbutlers No I connected with his son from Carrie years ago and I am inheriting all of his money that Neil gave him - to date $445.62 , Right he did make a few records to piss of Geffen but this is not one (I think). Neil also pisses off fans when he does bad records .. he can be such a jerk of a genius.

  • @11xzxzxz ahh okay thanks for the info. I wouldn't say he pissed me off this album just kinda confused me. I've learned to like the album but he's done better.

  • @thestalkingbutlers I guess you know his son Ben has celebral palsy and couldn't talk for a long time?? and trouble communicating ... here Neil is distorting his voice to symbolize his inability frustration and concern with trying to communicated with Ben.

  • @11xzxzxz I totally agree....Sample and Hold was real great....This album was a refreshing change for Neil albeit not his usual fare, but isn't that what makes an artist great is versatility? Rock on.....

  • @mrdesi7776 OK cool. You have been on a couple of years and you have only made a couple of comments it appears on your site .. you must have a real life unlike me. I am honored that you wrote me..

  • I actually had to import this album from Canada, but it was worth it. It's like Neil Young took a crash course in Kraftwerk. I love it.

  • cool song, not like any other neil songs, its unique and special

  • I have this album, and yes, it's vinyl. Love it!

  • Listen to the unplugged version of this, the two girls at the back make it even better

  • So far ten FUCKING ASSHOLES have given this a dislike rating...FUCK YOU, ASSHOLES!!!

  • One of Neil's most beutiful love songs. Totally genuine. For Ben.

  • Neil is a genius. I have all his records from the Geffen years in permanent rotation. Ain't got no tbone baby!

  • Good song I love this song......Peaceful....

  • The Devo comment is the best, Neil worked with Devo (watch Rust Never Sleeps) I saw him do this at UCSB and The Universal Amp in L.A. typical Neil show, goofy with some great tunes he did this solo. Best album? not quite but at least he doesn't toss out the same record with a different cover. If you really want comedy, check out Everybody's Rockin with The Shocking Pinks, Neil rules.

  • @GrandMofffOrdaz

    he did play it live on his "trans" tour back in 1983...awesome concert

  • @neil7227  IDIOT

  • I love the entire Trans album. People may think I'm nuts,but...oh well.

  • This is so Devo

  • he invented techno, and its the only techno worth listening too

  • @Krosstika1 youve never listened to techno....

  • @Krosstika1 cmon bro don't be cheesy, this has nothing to do with big beat techno for clubs, its electronica in its smoohtest side.

  • trans is the best album ever!

  • Wow, never knew Neil Young ever recorded this sort of music. Love it!

  • @ricflairflair - It was the 80's...when EVERYONE was trying to join the electronic bandwagon. Personally, I don't think this album is bad...just ODD.

  • ;@xnonsuchx yeah i dont think its bad and i dont think its awesome either. I think it HAD to be done and neil young did it in the best way. I like it.

  • love it. thanks for posting

  • if i remember correctly, this album and the albums with the shokcing pinks was a sort of "F-U" to Geffen for telling him to change his style. Neil young is so bad ass these albums are actually good for what they are

  • i love this track.

  • TRANSFORMER MAN DO DO DO DO DO DO DO DO

  • lolol.

    lolol.

  • Neil Young is the Dady of Daft Punk, Killers, Flaming Lips and many electronic pop band's

  • Doot a doot doot doot'a'doot

  • the vocoder was the gayest thing ever invented

  • I'm not saying this is bad, but it's kinda annoying how in the 80's everybody was all like, "technology computer way of the future!!!!" you know? even neil young wasn't immune

  • As I see it, many people in the 80's looked at Kraftwerk (70's) and thought that they could do something similar, the trouble is; most of them were so excited by these new 'futuristic' sounds that they were just desperate to use them rather than constructing anything truly worthy. For me, Neil Young is paying tribute to Kraftwerk and manages to expose the frivolous nature of most of the bands that tried to capitalise on the new medium of electronic music.

  • @holyhackjackson8 i think exactly the same thing! Neil young mastered it.

  • @robinheil This was a song he wrote for his son Ben/tribute to Ben. It's with this voice his son Ben communicated with others. (correct me if im wrong).

    Respect for Neil.

  • yeah i see what you guys are talking aboot. I love neil young, and i have heard of the thing about his son. i was just commenting on that era in general, i kinda like the cheesiness anyway ;)

  • Hit the nail on the head Cromag3. The whole album Trans was inspired by Ben. People need to understand this in order to appreciate what NY was trying to do with this album. :-)

  • @robinheil Think about it: Say you're a musician and you've been using the same set of instruments for years, then suddenly all this new technology appears. Musicians are always looking to do new things, and this presented an opportunity to try out new sounds and find new directions.

  • @robinheil

    Obviously they were right. Look at rap, autotune, and people like T.Pain. The Vocoder is still in use today. Also, 90% of music is now constructed in programs like pro-tools, with some kind of effect.

  • incredible idea an realisation !!

    Neil is great in all . A genious !

    However the best ist Sample and Hold.

    A pity that many do not realise it - no acces - it opens at second glance ...

  • Very good song.

  • For his son Ben. Beautiful.

  • this kind of makes me think of ELO lol

    But I respect Neil Young greatly for not allowing himself to be labelled. Then a year later he does a rockabilly album....lol

  • And in 1985, a traditional country album called "Old Ways." He originally drafted to release the album in 1983.

  • I liked this and the shocking pinks stuff in 1983...pretty far out stuff

  • Very heartfelt.

    What Daft Punk WISHED they could have amounted to.

  • lmmfao

  • A far cry from his woeful earlier stuff. This is

    entertaining.

  • i bought this album as a casette when it first cameout because I liked Mr. Soul to then learn it was a buffulo SF tune. Hello Mr. soul i just droped by to pick up a reason ..............................­.... Go Niel Go

  • when he plays this on the unplugged album acoustically it's actually a really great song

  • yes it really iis

  • I think its brilliant.....................­....

  • @kissrule1

    I remember when I wouldn't listen to this album more than 60 seconds no matter how attractive the cover was. This cut is brilliant. Reminds of Kraftwerk's Autobahn but better. Expectations. hmmmm...Neil is always settin trends.

  • well eat sh.t

  • This kinda fucked up, but I have to admit, it's kind of amusing.

    I wouldn't say good, but entertaining, sure.

  • This is actually very catchy and cool...wonder why so much hatred?

  • @suarezstyle people were still fully committed to rock and roll and instrument based music. Anything remotely electronic sounding was seemingly denounced as heretical. Just my guess I was only born a couple of years after this came out.

  • @suarezstyle cause people are lame and they expect an artist to keep doing the same thing over and over again. i think this shows a cool different side to neil.

  • @suarezstyle my mate had a tribute band and u should read into this the whole situation this album created is hilarious, he went to a new label to make it and they took him to court because of it lmao

  • this song is great

  • indeed it is!

  • I don't like Neil Young's voice but with a vocoder, I find it very attractive. I know that the fans of Mr Young are yelling but to my taste, it's the only album of this singer that I love.

  • This album sucks.

  • lma owtf is goin on

  • Bello

  • love this album. love niel. what a carreer

  • Such an amazing song. I had heard this song heaps of times on the Unplugged album, but only heard the original for the first time recently. I'm glad Neil Young didn't stick with this type of music, but it's a cool album.

  • This may have been your least favourite album but it was one of Neil's favourites. Neil was telling the story of his son Ben whom has CP. It was Neils way of trying to communicate, imagine the anguish of your own child not being able to talk. Neil probably found out, that Love communicates better than words and I think that recording this album was the most unselfish act that Neil has ever done. I and many others love this song and applaud him . Trans was done for love of a child and not money

  • This is imo a much maligned album- the vocoders can be a bit annoying, but the songs behind them are very strong, if you can get past the vocoders then this is a very strong album. Neil has made far worse albums than this one, for instance- Re-ac-tor, Everybody's Rockin', Landing on Water, Life, & Are You Passionate?